The present invention relates to a panoramic motion picture camera in which a filmstrip is continuously nonintermittently exposed while the camera lens is rapidly rotated through 360.degree..
Panoramic cameras for still and motion picture photography have been previously proposed. Hanke, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,068,410, discloses a panoramic camera having three lenses angularly spaced 120.degree. and rotatable about a central axis at a rate of speed of about sixteen revolutions per second. The camera casing supports film supply and take-up reels for each of the three lenses, each filmstrip passing through a film gate which is located between a shaft having an axis of rotation and the lens. The lens, film gates and film supply and take-up reels are located in the same planar zone. The camera casing and camera parts therein is first rotated, film movement being started by a manually operated brake which acts against an extension of the rotating shaft.
Back U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,349,931 and 2,815,701 disclose a panoramic camera in which the lens is rotated about an axis and the film supply and take-up reels are located on the opposite side of said axis and in the same planar zone as the lens. A sprocket on said axis is stationary while the film engages the sprocket without relative movement therebetween. A slit aperture is provided to expose the film while it is in contact with the sprocket. The focal length of the lens system is disclosed as equal to the radius of the sprocket.
In Van Praag U.S. Pat. No. 3,374,721, a lens and film reels lying in the same plane as the lens are rotated about an axis, the filmstrip passing over a rotatable sprocket at said axis, the film gate being adjacent the lens and spaced from the sprocket.
Globus, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,985, discloses another type of panoramic motion picture camera driven by a spring ribbon, this patent also including a discussion of the history of the panoramic camera. Globus, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,860 discloses a cycloramic projection system in which the film supply and film take-up reels are coaxial and spaced apart with the projection lens lying between the film reels and with the film path including a radial extension to provide space to translate the film between the separation reels.
Such prior proposed panoramic camera constructions were subject to various disadvantages in terms of expensive construction and mode of operation which required precise minimal tolerances; difficulties in maintaining uniform speed of rotation of camera lens and speed of the film which often resulted in banding on the exposed film; and severe wear and tear on edges and sprocket holes of the filmstrip. Use of standard motion picture accessories and facilities were minimized because of prior proposed special constructions and modes of operation. Further, such prior proposed panoramic motion picture camera systems were not adapted to operate at relatively high speeds of rotation. They were generally difficult to be kept in dynamic balance because of changing positions of the film material due to the arrangement of the supply and take-up film reels.